It has been warm and humid for several days in Vancouver, but the weather forecast is predicting a change to cooler conditions as well as the risk of thunder.
However, before that change, temperatures are expected to feel close to 40°C in Metro Vancouver.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) calls for a high of 24°C on Friday, Aug. 21, except 31°C inland. However, the Humidex calls for 30°C and 37°C inland.
ECCC
Thankfully, at least for folks who are tired of the warm humid conditions, Friday should spell the worst of it before a shift.
According to ECCC, on Friday night, there’s a 40 per cent chance of showers. The chance of showers extends into Saturday, which brings an additional weather risk.
ECCC says that there’s a 60 per cent chance of showers, along with a risk of thunderstorms in the afternoon. The high is only expected to reach 21°C, with a humidex of 25°C. Inland temperatures are not yet available.
Sunday is also forecast to have a high of 21°C.
Things will heat up again next week, though, with Monday forecast to have a high of 24°C, and inland temperatures expected to reach 27°C. It’s likely that humidex values will make things feel like over 30°C.
It appears as though temperatures are expected to cool mid-next week again.
ECCC
At least one B.C. area broke a heat record this week. The Trail Area saw a temperature of 37.2°C on Aug. 20, beating the old daily record of 36.7°C previously set in 1967. Records in the area have been kept since the 1920s.
Long-term Vancouver forecast and a “super” El Niño
In recent years, weather trends have been less predictable.
Daily Hive reporter Hanna Hett recently spoke to ECCC about the long-term forecast, and we got a brief glimpse into what could be in store for us this winter.
B.C. is likely to have a much warmer-than-usual winter this year.
The warm weather will have a number of impacts on the province, from a low snowpack to southern marine animals swimming up the coastline.
By definition, an El Niño occurs when those water temperatures increase by 0.5°C. It is considered weak when the warming is between 0.5°C and 1°C, and it is considered very strong when the warming is over 2°C.
“And that’s what we’re expecting this year,” said Bill Merryfield, a research scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada.
In fact, most forecast models predict that this El Niño will warm those waters by over 3°C — something that hasn’t happened for at least 100 years.
Haze conditions are also still prevalent in Vancouver, and while air quality reports aren’t the worst they’ve been, the city is still dealing with some smoggy skies.
With files from Hanna Hett